In hospitals all around the world, medical apparatus, such as surgical instruments, are utilized frequently every day. Rustiness and joint malfunction of the medical apparatus is a problem that has existed for a long time. These problems can increase both operating cost and may increase medical risk in procedures in hospitals. Hospitals derust the apparatus by utilizing derusting agents, which requires significant labor in the supply rooms. Because the derusting agents generally contain strong acid systems, the frequent utilization of derusting agents will damage the surface of apparatus (e.g., by causing plating on the apparatus and/or damage existing desired plating on the apparatus) which shortens the service life of the apparatus.
In order to increase the quality of the medical apparatus after washing, improve infection risk in hospitals, decrease the maintenance cost of the apparatus, prolong the service life of the apparatus, and potentially decrease operating risk, some hospitals are treating the medical apparatus after washing with lubricants. A lubricant forms a protective film on the surface of the apparatus, which prevents oxygen gas in air from contacting a stainless steel apparatus, but capable of being penetrated by high pressure water vapor.
Water-soluble lubricants are applied to surfaces in the metal processing industry. U.S. Pat. No. 7,273,833 relates to a water soluble lubricant used for metal cutting processing which utilizes an amine group-containing polymer with a molecular weight of 1,000-1,000,000 as a lubricating ingredient; CN 1,138,620A discloses a water-based coating liquid which has functions of lubrication, cooling, washing and anticorrosion and uses turkey red oil, polyethylene glycol, alcohol, sorbic alcohol, boracic acid, triethanolamine, ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid and water as raw materials. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,690,426, a hydrophilic, water-dispersible oil phase system used in the textile industry and other industry fields is obtained by using a combination of a mineral oil and a polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearic acid compound, with a further addition of polyoxyethylene stearyl alcohol, polyoxyethylene stearic acid or polyoxyethylene stearyl alcohol amine as a lubricating ingredient. These water-soluble lubricants used in the metal processing industry can not be used to treat medical apparatus due to degradation properties and/or component toxicity.
In the medical industry, aqueous lubricants are used for the surface lubrication of catheters, cannulas or puncture needles. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,046,143, an aqueous lubricant used for the surface lubrication of catheters discloses modified silicone resin as a lubricating ingredient. Additionally, WO/1999/047187 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,747 also disclose water-based lubricating oils used for the surface treatment of catheters comprising silicone as a lubricating ingredient. However, silicone is used, which can be difficult to maintain as stable in an emulsion.
Therefore, a stable silica/silicone free aqueous lubricant used for the treatment of surgical medical apparatus after washing would be desirable.